Technology in Fashion: How has technology changed how we dress?

Published on: 12/08/2020 | Updated on: October 25, 2024

How does technology in fashion plays a great role in this digital era? Technology is always changing and evolving, and those innovations have integrated into every part of our modern lives. When people think of technology, they may only think of gadgets, electronics, and the like. However, technology has helped innovate several industries outside of just electronics. One of these industries is fashion.

Technology in the fashion industry brought huge benefits from different aspects. With the introduction of innovations like 3D printing, changes in materials, the rise of fashion blogs, and online shopping, the industry as a whole has changed by leaps and bounds in the last few years. 

The industry has evolved through several eras of modernization. With the introduction of various new technologies, clothes are becoming more than just apparel.

 

Better materials

Manufacturing clothes has definitely evolved with time too. With the advent of innovations like 3D printing and access to research on sustainable or more affordable materials, clothes are changing faster than ever. 3D printing has opened up so many new avenues for manufacturers, making it easier to innovate designs and changing the way clothing and accessories are made. Customization in clothes is also easier than ever, with 3D printing being accessible to huge manufacturers, even individuals.

 

Online shopping

Online shopping has changed the shopping experience in so many ways. These days, it’s easier than ever for anyone to buy clothes that wouldn’t have been accessible to them without the internet. There are several platforms online that cater solely to the sale of clothes, but even online markets have started to offer their own specific clothing lines. Now, more than ever, a brand new wardrobe is at the tip of your fingertips.

Access to trends works both ways too: manufacturers and retailers can now easily collect data of what’s popular and adjust their styles and stock accordingly. Having so many things offered online also means that there are even more styles of clothes available than ever before.

 

Influencer culture and social media

The popular phenomenon of influencer culture that has swept the landscape of social media has changed the way we shop and the way we react to trends. Influencers are the new face of promoting online, as they are more accessible to a wider audience than celebrities and established couture models.

Influencers also have a more organic online presence, built on a parasocial relationship with their audience, and because of this, are more effective for marketing. Their constant access to social media platforms also allows them to have control over their own advertising. 

Now, with the internet fused into every facet of life, clothing and shopping trends are easily visible and almost pervasive, making it easier for people to see what’s popular from influencers, and make their purchase decisions from there.

It’s also easier for brands to promote their pieces, by marketing them to the public through influencers. Partnering with influencers makes it much easier to both market a brand’s products and to launch a trend.

 

Trends inspired by new fashion tech

With so much of the landscape of fashion changing, you wouldn’t be wrong to wonder what exactly that change has inspired. Here are some of the new trends created by innovations in fashion.

 

AR fitting rooms

With AR or augmented reality technology, people can now try on clothes and accessories from the comfort of their homes. Customers can choose to either take a photo or open their phone or laptop’s camera, and load it into a website of a brand that offers an option to view themselves in real-time with an approximated image of the outfit on their body.

From there, customers can see what the clothes might look like on them in real-time without having to leave their homes. As AR technology continues to evolve, this type of futuristic dressing room will only further improve to offer more accurate images and diversified clothing options. 

 

Smart clothes

As technology changes and the fashion industry evolves, new innovations like clothes that connect to your gadgets have become a reality. 

In the trend of smart clothing, one of the most notable is the Jacquard, a gesture-sensing snap tag that works with special Jacquard Threads woven into the cuff of the Levi’s Commuter Jacket. It looks exactly like a regular denim jacket, able to be washed normally (as long as you remember to take the snap tag off first), durable, and built to keep its wearer warm through cold weather.

The way it works is that with simple gestures like tapping or swiping on the Jacquard for common, simple tasks on your device such as checking directions, controlling your music, or even checking your text messages are possible handsfree. The Levi Commuter Trucker was designed specifically for on-the-go lifestyles, but it can be useful for anyone that often finds themselves with their hands full.

The Commuter Jacket is one of the first few pioneers in the wave of Smart Clothes, and perhaps it is rudimentary in its functions, but as technology progresses further and further, there will definitely be more and more of them to come. In the leather industry like belts, shoes, sofas, car seats, and jackets manufacturing, technology added a great contribution to making the process faster and improving the quality of the products.

 

Sustainable fabrics

One of the best innovations in the fashion industry is the introduction of sustainable fabrics. Several brands now follow a greener approach to manufacturing their products, like introducing the use of materials made from recycled plastic, algae, and many more.

Every year, more materials are being reused for greener, more efficient manufacturing. And this is not limited to clothes, even accessories like bags and hats, even belts and shoes are made of reusable materials, most commonly single-use plastics.

With the current rise in environmental awareness combined with advances in technology, we are sure to see sustainable fabrics and materials in more and more of our consumer products.

Conclusion

The world is moving faster and faster each day, and as everything begins to move steadily towards the future, the fashion industry too will follow. We must admit that technology in the fashion industry is blessing. Innovation and fashion should go hand in hand, which is what we believe at LiftLegging. LiftLegging showcase the innovation of fashion tech, with products that are made with cutting edge fabrics and designed with the modern woman in mind.